SF could have dense, fine-grained, family-friendly Neighborhood, Not Megaproject
a day ago
- Courtyard planning at Candlestick Point could accommodate about 16,400 homes, including 6,600 three- and four-bedroom homes, in a walkable, family-friendly neighborhood.
- Homes would have a public front and a protected back (courtyard), allowing children to play safely outdoors while parents supervise from inside.
- This design is inspired by European cities like Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Hamburg, but has been difficult to deliver in the U.S.
- Small courtyard buildings on smaller parcels would enable more builders (local, nonprofits, cooperatives) to participate, rather than relying on a single large developer.
- Parking would be shared in separate facilities, not under homes or in courtyards, keeping green space intact and paid for separately.
- The study shows potential for more than double the housing of the current plan (7,200 homes), though office and open-space programs differ.
- Reused plans and repeated components could reduce costs, and household groups could commission buildings together, as done in Hamburg with a dedicated agency.
- The proposal requires coordinated infrastructure, financing, and governance, but offers a model for building complete life-cycle neighborhoods.